Week 2: Trip Highlights and Photos

After a week in the south, we headed for central Italy. First, we planned to spend 4 or 5 days in Umbria, home to Saint Francis and Perugino and then we would go to Tuscany for 3 days, the land of Chianti and Florence. My sister and I had made the serious mistake of traveling in Italy on a religious holiday, Epiphany. All the trains, especially 2nd class cars, were booked and overflowing of passengers! I will never travel again on a religious holiday (or during that weekend), even with reservations! (Reservations didn't really matter on this train because some people had made reservations and their seats did NOT exist on this train!) (Mental reminder: Don't travel on any holiday weekend! Be weary of train strikes! Ask hotel staff!)

Anyway, after a loooooooooooooooooooooooong day of travel from Sant'Agnello-Naples-Arezzo- (we woke up at 6) we finally arrived at our destination, Perugia. (By the way, if you look at a map, you will see that we had to go north and south again, as Arezzo is north of Perugia.) We took the bus from the Pontevigge train station to Piazza Italia, walked to the hotel, unpacked, and were so relieved that the hotel was clean, spacious, and central. Afterwards, we walked around Perugia, which would be our new home for the next few days. (I will write more about what we did, ate, and experienced in Perugia later...)

After staying in Perugia, my sister and I took the 11:05 a.m. SENA bus from the Pontevigge train station to Siena. We weren't sure which stop to get off at, so we got off at the last one! WRONG! Next time, get off at the ESCALATORS (SCALE MOBILE) stop. Most of the people on the bus ride over were business people, not tourists. It might be different during summer, however during winter it was strictly business. So, since we got off at the wrong stop, we walked uphill to our hotel, which was centrally located - only a 5-minute walk to Il Campo, and very close to the Duomo and the bus station (Piazza Lizza).

Piazza Italia, Perugia

Rocca Maggiore, Assisi










Contrada della Torre, Siena










View of Il Campo, Siena